How many spiders are too many spiders, in your opinion? One? Ten? A few dozen? For most people, a single spider is one too many. If you hold to this assumption and regularly find these eight-legged pests crawling around inside your home, you are in the right place. Today we will be talking about why spiders invade properties and providing you with some helpful prevention tips to keep them out of your living areas.
Spider Species in Washington
All spiders have eight legs and more than one pair of eyes. Here in Washington, we have a range of spider species, not all of which are known for invading homes. To help you identify these pests inside your home, here are three common species you should know about.
- The Common House Spider: The house spider is a yellow-brown arachnid with a dirty white abdomen and several dark stripes that meet at an angle. This 3/16 to 5/16” long pest regularly breaks into homes in our area, builds intricate webs to catch prey, and is a general annoyance. Thankfully, house spiders pose no direct risk to humans.
- The Yellow Sac Spider: The yellow sac spider is pale beige to yellow in color and sometimes has a tinge of green. This ¼” long pest is also identified by the lance-shaped mark that runs down the middle of its abdomen. Yellow sac spiders are most commonly found around homes nesting beneath eaves but will wander inside on occasion. A bite from this spider is not harmful enough to lead to human death but it is quite painful and causes a minor necrotic reaction beneath the skin. As for pain, some describe a bite from a yellow sac spider as harmless while others liken it to a wasp sting.
- The Black Widow: The black widow is black with a distinct red hourglass mark on the bottom of its abdomen. This 1 ½ to 1 ⅜” pest builds irregular webs in the corners of rooms when inside and will only bite if threatened. A bite from a black widow has moderate to severe pain and can involve symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, sweating, headache, muscle cramps and spasms near the affected area, stupor, restlessness, and shock. If you suspect you have been bitten by one of these pests, seek medical attention to reduce your risk of serious medical problems.
Some Reasons Why Spiders Invade Homes
Spiders do not care if it is cold or stormy outside. The only thing that matters to these pests is keeping their bellies full. If you didn’t know, the majority of spiders live off a diet of bugs, more specifically insects, arthropods, and even other spiders. If your home has trouble with these pests, spiders will want to come inside to hunt. Often spiders come inside accidentally by wandering in through gaps and cracks in a home’s exterior.
One Guaranteed Solution To Spiders
There are many things you can do to reduce your chances of a spider infestation such as sealing openings in your home’s exterior, keeping your living areas clean, and reducing moisture. These DIY prevention tips, however, do not guarantee spiders will stay out of your home. Hiring the experts at Alta Pest Control does. Using industrial-grade pest control products and the most recent techniques and available treatments we will give your home and property the defenses they need to fight back against invasive pests like spiders.
Reach out to our team today and learn how our comprehensive solutions keep homes protected against spiders.
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